Re: Pagoda dogwood

I have C. drummondii (I think) growing wild all over the place...of course, the dogwood sawfly regularly tries to defoliate them, and will, in a heartbeat if I don't keep sharp watch. Curiously, they have never tried to snack on the C florida...go figure!
Cathy
On Wednesday, May 21, 2003, at 06:15 AM, Pamela J. Evans wrote:

Cathy - rhodies, azaleas and dogwoods don't do well here either. That's
why I plant viburnums! Pretty, useful (berries for my birdies) and much
lower maintenance. There is a rough-leaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii)
that does better in Texas than the regular Cornus florida. It also
flowers, just not as showy. According to Howard Garrett (the Dirt
Doctor) - this plant is graceful and tough, should be used in more
natural gardens. native from Eastern US to TX. Easy to grow in any soil.

May be worth a try if your heart is set on dogwoods.

Just a thought!!

Pam

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 03:26:15 -0400

I don't know about Pagodas, Cathy, but Cornus florida is one of those
trees whose provenance makes a difference.  For instance, if I were
to send you seed from the trees in my garden, it is most likely that
they would not prove hardy in yours although the tree is native into
the midwest.

So, where your local nurseries get their trees is an issue - and
where the seeds that grew them came from.  Most nurseries buy from
wholesalers who buy from growers all over the map.  If you could find
a C. florida growing well in your area and get some seed, most likely
the progeny would flourish for you.  Seed is not difficult to
germinate.  It needs to be fresh, cleaned of the red covering (a
thumbnail is good for this) and have a min. 140 day cold
stratification, which can be accomplished in the fridge or by
planting outside in the fall and protecting from rodents and
squirrels with some wire hardware cloth.

I would also suspect that your soil is on the alkaline side, which is
why rhodies do not do well - and possibly another reason you've had
bad luck with C. florida; it prefers a soil on the acid side.  They
are also understory trees (my woods is full of them), and if you are
trying to grow it in full sun, it will be more likely to be stressed.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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From: cathy carpenter <cathyc@rnet.com>

How do Pagodas hold up in our climate? I've always wanted one, but
dogwoods do not seem to do well in my area (dogwoods and

rhododendrons

are the only shrubs/trees that nurseries will not guarantee). They

do

alright in town, but out here in the county....put it this way - I
planted four Cornus florida, lost three, and the fourth is clinging

to

life by its root hairs.
Cathy, west central IL, z5b
On Tuesday, May 20, 2003, at 08:10 AM, Cersgarden@aol.com wrote:

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Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A



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